Your REALTOR®
will give you a list of properties for sale that fit your requirements
and he or she will setup appointments to view houses. You can also
use our Property
Search feature on this web site or the newspaper version,
RealtyLink In Print, for properties. Let your REALTOR® know
about any properties you find in your search as he or she has access
to the complete information and can provide greater detail on a
property for sale.

Assessing a House

While you are
visiting various homes for sale it's a good idea to make notes about
each house you're seriously considering so you can remember the
details about a property. Use my Home
Hunting Checklist to help you keep track of your impressions.

When looking
at a house you need to consider several factors:

Exterior
Condition - Examine the condition of the siding, roof, gutters,
paint, chimneys, windows, decks and patios. Fixing up the exterior
of a house, especially adding a new roof, can be expensive.

Interior
- Is it large enough? What's the condition of the bathroom(s)
and kitchen? What kind of flooring is under the carpet? Do the
rooms and hallways have sufficient lighting? Is there enough storage?

Structural
Problems
- Uneven floors and large cracks can indicate problems. Examine
the outside of the house and see if there is any visible sinking.

Mechanical
Systems
- Find out the age of the heating, plumbing and electrical systems.
Consider if you will have to update any of these systems.

Energy
Efficiency - Check to see if the house is insulated and whether
the windows are single or double paned. Older houses with no insulation
and single-pane windows have greater heating costs.

Basement
/ Drainage
- Check for leaks, cracks, water stains and mold in the basement.
They could indicate poor outside drainage. Make sure there is
adequate drainage around the house.

Water
Pressure
- Turn on the taps or flush the toilet to make sure there is high
water pressure.

Pests
- Ask whether there have been problems with insects or rodents.
Is there evidence of damage?

Neighbourhood
- Look at the condition of the houses in the neighbourhood. Ask
whether there are noise problems or unruly neighbours. How close
is the property to schools, community centres, shopping and other
amenities?

Zoning
- Ask your REALTOR® about the zoning for the property? Are there
any restrictive covenants or easements?

For additional
considerations for condominium buyers, read the RealtyLink
In Printarticle:

This site provides real estate information, listings and tools servicing the Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley Areas of British Columbia (BC) Canada. Areas serviced include Vancouver, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, New Westminster, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Surrey, Whiterock, Delta, Tsawwassen, Ladner, North Delta, Langley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Mission. As some of these areas are outside of my core service area, We provide a free referal service so that consumers can have confidence that they will be working with a trusted and competent REALTOR®in the area they are selling or buying in.

We can assist repeat home buyers & sellers, first time buyers, investors looking for single or multiple unit investment properties, building lots, and new construction project purchases.